This kit has a copyright date of 1964. It was re-released 7 times up until 1990.

HISTORY:

Consolidated's B-24 Liberator was manufactured in greater quantitied than any other American aircraft during WWII. The U.S. Army purchased 18,188 Liberators white the U.S. Navy used 1,174 of the four-engined bombers as PB4Y-1's.

The B-24 proved to be the most versatile heavy bomber in the Americal arsenal and was used on fighting fronts. Among the most famous of its exploits were the two daring daylight bombing raids on the German held oil fields of Ploesti in Rumania.

The destruction of Germany's sources of oil and gasoline were primary goals of the Allied air forces. On the night of June 11, 1942, thirteed B-24D's took off from an R.A.F. base at Fayid, Egypt and few across the Mediterranean to Rumania. Their appearance over Ploesti the next day took the Germans by surprise. Flying over the target at 10,000 ft., and meeting little opposition, the B-24's each dropped nearly 4,000 lbs. of bombs on the oil refineries.

On August 1, 1943, two B-14 groups from the U.S. Ninth Air Force and three groups for the Eighth Air Force left their bases near Bengasi, Libya and flew towards Rumania at minimum altitude with complete radio silence. The targe, once again, was Ploesti, but a misjudgement in navigation led the flight over Bucharest and alerted the German defences. Though violent opposition was met over the oil fields,the stout Liberators succeded in destroying nearly forty percent of the cracking and refining capacity at Ploesti.This Revell model of the B-24D Liberator "Blue Streak" is an authentic replica of the first plane to bome the oil fields at Ploesti on each of the dramatic raids. In addition to leading these historic raids, the "Blue Streak" made for herself one of the most impressive records of the war. With her crew, she won a presidential citation for 110 combat missions and a total of nine famous firsts:

Member of the oldest bombardment group operating overseas.

First to bomb the European continent.First over Ploesti at high altitude (June 1943)First over Ploesti at low altitude (August 1943)First U.S.A.A.F. bomber to hit the Italian fleetFirst over NaplesFirst over RomeFirst over Wien-NeustadtFirst heavy bombardment group to be based in the European continent

She also shot down 23 enemy fighters, and sank a merchant ship, a tanker, and a destroyer! For these feats, the "Blue Streak" was called "the greatest American bomber of them all".

The durability of the B-24 is illustrated by the fact that during its 110 missions the "Blue Streak" used up 19 engines. On one flight alone she sustained such severe damage that it was necessary to replace one engine, both wings, and a rudder. But every time the "Blue Streak" came home!

The Consolidated-Vultee (Convair) B-24D had a wingspan of 110 ft., a length of 66 ft. 4 ins. and a height of 17 ft. 11 ins. Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines of 1,200 h.p. could provide a maximum speed of 303 m.p.h. at 25,000 ft. and range of 2,850 miles with 5,000 lbs. of bombs. The crew varied from 8 to 10 men. Ten .50 cal guns were carried for defense.

Technical data about this model was obtained through the courtesy of General Dynamics, Fort Worth, Texas, the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio and the Air Museum, Aviation Hall of Fame at Ontario, California.

​THE KIT:

Revell is old prolific model company that has offices in the U.S. and Germany. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.

The box art shows 2 B-24's dropping their bombs during the raid on Ploesti oil refinery in Rumania. The lead aircraft is olive drab over grey undercarraige. It has a white 71 on the sides of the nose and a white 1 on the rudder. There is a yellow map under the cockpit and the cursic blue words outlined in white "Blue Streak" to the left of the map. It has a red, white and blue fin flash.

The 2nd B-24 is similarly colored.

One side panel of the box has a small color repeat of the box art, with a one paragraph history of the aircraft, a copyright date of 1969, Revell Inc's location given as being Venice, CA and MADE AND PRINTED IN USA.

The other side panel has a application form for their Mast Modelers Club (now defunct).

​The kit holds 6 olive drab parts trees and a clear tree that are not cello bagged. The decal sheet, Master Modelers Club application form and another application form for Revell's Science Program to get kits like the Apollo Moon-landing craft and the instructions.

​The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 11" x 17" page format.

Its face side has the 4th assembly step the top of the page above the history of the B-24D and a 4-view of the Blue Steak.

The other side of the sheet has the first 3 asembly steps. All the steps are accompanied by text to walk modelers throgh the builds.